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N A T A S H A P O W E L L

@tashapowellto

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Canadian choreographer, dance artist and mother.
📍Toronto, Canada 🇨🇦
Artistic director for @hollajazz

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In prep for our upcoming production in 2026, we finished off 2025 in residency at the Winchester Street Theatre, thanks to the folks at Toronto Dance Theatre. Playing around in the space, a few set elements, and a gorgeous wooden floor to help us imagine what is possible for this work. The Room Upstairs coming soon.

Holla Jazz in residency at Winchester Street Theatre
Supported by Toronto Dance Theatre
November 2025

Collaborators
Dancers @raoulwilke @mihamatevzic
Choreographer @tashapowellto
Scenic Design: James Kendal
Stage Manager: AJ Morra
Videography: @kendraepik
Technical Consultant: Aden Altamirano

The Room Upstairs by Natasha Powell / Holla Jazz
Presented by DanceWorks and Toronto Dance Theatre (TDT)
Co-Produced by DanceWorks and Holla Jazz in association with Toronto Dance Theatre by @tashapowellto

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10 months ago

Join @tashapowellto for her all levels Jazz workshop for @heymastreetdance ✨

Natasha Powell is a Toronto native who has been working in the dance industry for 20 years. Her soulful approach to movement that transcends genre can be seen and felt in her dancing, choreography, and teachings. As the founder, artistic director, and choreographer for her company HOLLA JAZZ, she has created award-winning productions, presenting historical jazz dances in a contemporary aesthetic.

Their productions have been nominated for multiple Dora Mavor Moore Awards.

Her choreographic language has lead her to collaborate with the National Ballet of Canada; and on theatre projects for Canadian Stage productions of Choir Boy (2022), and Fall on Your Knees (2023). Natasha is a recipient of the 2023 Johanna
Metcalf Prize in the Performing Arts, presented by the Metcalf Foundation. Inspired by Black-American vernacular dances like jazz, hip hop, and house dance
Natasha shares her love for movement through teaching workshops in across North America.

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SATURDAY NOV. 7TH - WORKSHOP DAY
📍 @societyclubhouse

5PM @tashapowellto

▫️Sliding-scale options available $20-$30 p/ ws
▫️No child minding available Saturday
▫️Ages 16+ (minors under 18 must be accompanied either an adult)

*YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE A MOTHER TO ATTEND*

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What is @heymastreetdance?

Created by @aleadecastro, produced with @moovottawa & inspired by her own experience as a mother and street dancer, HEY MA! celebrates the trials and triumphs of the mothers who have shaped, continue to shape & who contributed to our street dance and greater dance community.

And we’re bringing it to TORONTO!

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How to join? Moovottawa.com

#HeyMa2026 taken in Toronto Canada by @tashapowellto

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6 days ago

WORKSHOP LINEUP📣

Get ready to learn, connect, and MOVE at the inaugural Immersion Festival! ✨

From Vernacular Jazz and Rwandan Traditional & Contemporary Dance to Bahamian Caribbean Folk and African Street Dance, our Movement Workshop Series is bringing an exciting range of African Diasporic dance styles to Toronto this November!

OPEN TO ALL! All workshops are offered at three levels: Youth, Beginner/Community, and Professional level!

Meet our workshop facilitators:
✨ Natasha Powell – Vernacular Jazz
✨ Isaac Gasangwa – Rwandan Traditional & Contemporary Dances
✨ Reequal Smith – Bahamian Caribbean Folk
✨ Kwasi Obeng-Adjei – African Street Dance Fundamentals

📅 November 8–22, 2026
📍 Toronto, Ontario

Don't miss this opportunity to learn from incredible artists, explore new movement styles, and celebrate the richness of African Diasporic dance!

🎟️ REGISTER NOW! Visit the link in our bio or head to danceimmersion.ca/immersionfestival/

⚠️WORKSHOP PACKAGES AVAILABLE! THE MORE YOU SIGN UP FOR, THE MORE YOU SAVE!

#ImmersionFestival
#danceImmersionevents #DanceWorkshopsToronto
#Torontodance taken in Betty Oliphant Theatre by @tashapowellto

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7 days ago

Thank you Natasha Powell and all the YENSA Festival workshop participants.

We had a groovy Vernacular Jazz workshop!

This year’s festival theme, AS I AM, invited us to honour the fullness of who we are. ⭐️

@tashapowellto @hollajazz

#LuaShayenneDanceCompany #YENSA #LetsDance #BlackWomenInDance #Dance #Toronto by @tashapowellto

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a month ago

Pop-Up Jazz Dance Class!

It’s been a while since we danced together and I’m eager to move. Come dance with me next week!

Pop-up Jazz Dance Class w/Natasha
Thursday September 17
11:15 am - 12:45 pm
Academy of Spanish Dance
401 Richmond St W., B104
$25 + HST, Link in bio to register by @tashapowellto

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a month ago

Thank you YENSA Festival (@yensafestival) !

Grateful for the opportunity to look at excerpts of and reimagine The Room Upstairs. Thank you to the audiences that came out to see the performances. Always a pleasure collaborating with these awesome artists. Until next time !

Photo 1 by Amelie Giusta
Photo 2 by Raoul Wilke

Credits
Jacob Gorzhaltsan @jgorzh (saxophone)
Scott Hunter @scotthuntermusic (bass)
Eric West @e.west.drums (drums)
Raoul Wilke @raoulwilke (dance)
Lighting design by Arun Srinivasan
Stage Management by AJ Morra by @tashapowellto

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2 months ago

👀 PORCH PEAK #1
Last week we popped into rehearsal with choreographer @tashapowellto and dancer Solange at Porch # 1!

PVD provides a unique opportunity for choreographers to create in new ways and nourish the creative expressions of “everyday people”.

TUNE IN to hear what PVD has inspired for Natasha and Solange!

✨YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS THIS MAGIC✨

PORCH VIEW DANCES
🗓️ JULY 1 - 4 @ 7PM
🗓️🦽 SUNDAY JULY 5 @ 2PM
(Accessibility Day - wheelchairs and volunteers available to escort them)

📍 Starting at Porch View Dances Lane, Seaton Village (at London St)
✨ PAY WHAT YOU WANT
⁉️ More info on our website - link in bio

🎥🎞️: @orintmcrey

#PVD2026 #sitespecificperformance torontoevents familyfun torontodance by @tashapowellto

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4 months ago

It’s Dora Seaon!

We are extremely honoured that The Room Upstairs has been nominated for 3 Dora Mavor Moore Awards this season! We do not take this acknowledgment lightly and are humbled by this being alongside some great art-makers in the city 🙏🏾 Thank you to the Dora jurors with @tapa_to who watch so many shows throughout the season! Thank you to all of our partners, funders, and audiences that made this project possible

Nominations in the Dance Division:

🎷Outstanding Original Choreography by Natasha Powell

🎷Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble by Caroline ‘Lady C’ Fraser, Hollywood Jade, Raoul Wilke and Miha Matevzic

🎷Outstanding Production presented by DanceWorks and Toronto Dance Theatre + co-produced by DanceWorks and Holla Jazz in collaboration with Toronto Dance Theatre.

Credits
Photography by Kendra Epik
Lighting Design by Emerson Kafarowski
Scenic and props by James Kendal
Costumes by Val Calam
Music Direction by Jacob Gorzhaltsan
Associate Music Direction by Tom Richards
Dramaturgy by Seika Boye
Performers: Tom Richards, Rebecca Hennessy, Colleen Allen, Eric West, Scott Hunter, Thompson T. Egbo-Egbo, Caroline Lady C Fraser, Hollywood Jade, Raoul Wilke, Miha Matevzic
Production and Stage Management by Taylor Zalik-Young by @tashapowellto

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5 months ago

A dancers take🌿✨👏🏾

Me and @tashapowellto decided to learn Bli-Blip a version danced by Paul White and Marie Bryant. Music by Duke Ellington and His Orchestra! A fun little number. I really enjoyed learning it. #jazzdance #authenicjazzdance #solojazz #movers #spiritmovers by @tashapowellto

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5 months ago

EDIT- how could I forget the ever amazing Seika Boye! Your questions, dramaturgy, and endless support made this a dream collaboration and has made a profound impact on me as an artist. Thank you, endlessly!❤️🙏🏾

And just like that. It finally happened. The last few months have been an incredible ride.

@jgorzh - we finally did it! I’m so grateful for our time making this project together. Your deep care for Coltrane’s music while shaping it for this production was deeply inspiring and words will never express how grateful I am for you. Thank you!

Taylor - our rock. You were the glue holding all of the pieces together. The scale of this project was massive and you took such great care of it.

James, Emerson, Val - our creative collaborators that elevated this project with their thoughtful designs and set pieces that built The Room Upstairs. It’s been an absolute pleasure collaborating with all of you.

Tom, Rebecca, Colleen, Eric, Scott, Thompson - hearing each of your voices inside John Coltrane’s music has been an absolute treat! I’m so glad I had the honour to work with all of you.

Caroline, Miha, Raoul, Hollywood - we finally made it. If I don’t say it enough, I’m endlessly grateful for our time together. Big love.

A lot of folks believed in this project from its inception - Timea Wharton-Suri, Mimi Beck, Dedra McDermott, and David Norsworthy-Shibatani - having your support from the project’s early days is something I will always hold on to.

DanceWorks and TDT - co-presenters are so vital for independent artists to realize their work and this project would not have happened without both of your teams, technicians, and volunteers. A big thank you!!

And to our audiences - what a way to pack the house and show up for jazz! For the music, for the dancing, and for John Coltrane! Looking forward to sharing more with all of you again.

Jazz love!

📷 by @drewberry.photography by @tashapowellto

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5 months ago

It’s the last performance of this run 🎺

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘙𝘰𝘰𝘮 𝘜𝘱𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘳𝘴 has opened to full houses every night and met with standing ovations — the outpouring of love is truly meaningful.

To the artists, creators, collaborators, audiences, and supporters: thank you for showing up so fully. This work is a powerful example of our time together, and we’re deeply moved by the response it’s received.

Presented by DanceWorks and Toronto Dance Theatre (TDT)
Co-produced by DanceWorks and Holla Jazz in partnership with TDT

Choreography: Natasha Powell @tashapowellto
Music Direction: Jacob Gorzhaltsan
Associate Music Director: Tom Richards @tom.insoundmusic

Dancers: Caroline “Lady C” Fraser @carolineladyc , Hollywood Jade @hollywoodjade , Miha Matevzic @mihamatevzic , Raoul Wilke @raoulwilke
Musicians: Colleen Allen @colleenallenmusic , Thompson Egbo-Egbo @egbo.music , Rebecca Hennessy @rebeccahennessymusic , Scott Hunter @scotthuntermusic , Tom Richards, Eric West @e.west.drums

Lighting Design by Emerson Kafarowski
Scenic Design by James Kendal
Costume Design by Valerie Calam
Photo by Kendra Epik @kendraepikphotography

#TheRoomUpstairs #TorontoDance #DanceWorks #TDT #HollaJazz taken in Winchester Street Theatre by @tashapowellto

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6 months ago

2 down, 2 to go ❤️‍🔥

The Room Upstairs is in full swing, and we’re thrilled to have the audience join us for tonight’s talkback with choreographer Natasha Powell (@tashapowell) and all the incredible artists — dancers and musicians, in conversation with facilitator Seika Boye (@seikalab).

Presented by DanceWorks (@danceworkstoronto) and TDT
Co-produced by Holla Jazz (@hollajazz), DanceWorks and TDT

📸 Photo of dancers Caroline “Lady C” Fraser (@carolineladyc), Hollywood Jade (@hollywoodjade), Miha Matevzic (@mihamatevzic), Raoul Wilke (@raoulwilke). Lighting Design by Emerson Kafarowski. Scenic Design by James Kendal. Costume Design by Valerie Calam
Photo by Kendra Epik (@kendraepikphotography)

#TheRoomUpstairs #TDT #LivePerformance #Talkback #HollaJazz taken in Winchester Street Theatre by @tashapowellto

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6 months ago